Electrical tracking of a multiphase microfluidic flow

Abstract

Provided are embodiments for a computer-implemented method, system, and device for tracking multiphase flow in a microfluidic device. Embodiments include receiving first readings from a first sensor of the microfluidic device, the first reading representing a detection of a fluid at an interface between the fluid and the first sensor, and receiving second readings from a second sensor of the microfluidic device, the second readings representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and the second sensor, wherein the first sensor is located at a distance from the second sensor. Embodiments also include calculating a flow speed of the fluid in the microfluidic device based at least in part on a difference of time between the detections by the first sensor and the second sensor, and the distance between the first sensor and the second sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for tracking a fluid in a microfluidic device, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, using a processor, first readings from a multi-terminal first sensor and a multi-terminal second sensor of the microfluidic device, the first readings representing a detection of a fluid at an interface between the fluid and a first terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor, the first readings further representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and a first terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor; 
 receiving, using the processor, second readings from the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor of the microfluidic device, the second readings representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and a second terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor, the second readings further representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and a second terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor, wherein the multi-terminal first sensor is located at a distance from the multi-terminal second sensor; and 
 calculating, using the processor, a flow speed of the fluid in the microfluidic device based at least in part on a difference of time between the detections by the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor, and the distance between the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the time difference is measured between the first readings and the second reading. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the multi-terminal first sensor is embedded within a first portion of a microchannel wall operable to define a first portion of a microfluidic channel of the microfluidic device; 
 the multi-terminal second sensor is embedded within a second portion of the microchannel wall operable to define a second portion of the microfluidic channel of the microfluidic device; 
 the first terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor is opposite the first terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor; and 
 the second terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor is opposite the second terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor are configured to detect a change in capacitance caused by the fluid flowing in the microfluidic device. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting the fluid interface using additional sensors, wherein the multi-terminal first sensor, the multi-terminal second sensor, and the additional sensors are aligned in parallel. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein detecting the fluid interface comprises detecting a center portion of the fluid and the edge portions of the fluid to determine a wettability of the fluid. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting, the fluid interface using additional sensors, wherein the multi-terminal first sensor, the multi-terminal second sensor, and the additional sensors are aligned in series. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7  further comprising determining a channel saturation of a microfluidic channel in the microfluidic device by performing the detection by the multi-terminal first sensor, the multi-terminal second sensor, and the additional sensors that are positioned in series along a direction of fluid flow in the microfluidic channel. 
     
     
       9. A system for tracking multiphase flow in microfluidic device, the system comprising:
 a processor; 
 a memory coupled to the processor, the processor configured to:
 receive first readings from a multi-terminal first sensor and a multi-terminal second sensor of the microfluidic device, the first readings representing a detection of a fluid at an interface between the fluid and a first terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor, the first readings further representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and a first terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor; 
 receive second readings from the multi-terminal first sensor and a multi-terminal second sensor of the microfluidic device, the second readings representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and a second terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor, the second readings further representing a detection of the fluid at an interface between the fluid and a second terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor; and 
 calculate a flow speed of the fluid in the microfluidic device based at least in part on a difference of time between the detection by the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor, and the distance between the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the time difference is measured between the detection at the first readings and the second readings. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the multi-terminal first sensor is embedded within a first portion of a microchannel wall operable to define a first portion of a microfluidic channel of the microfluidic device; 
 the multi-terminal second sensor is embedded within a second portion of the microchannel wall operable to define a second portion of the microfluidic channel of the microfluidic device; 
 the first terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor is opposite the first terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor; and 
 the second terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor is opposite the second terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor are configured to detect a change in capacitance caused by the fluid flowing in the microfluidic device. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the fluid interface using additional sensors, wherein the multi-terminal first sensor, the multi-terminal second sensor, and the additional sensors are aligned in parallel. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein detecting the fluid interface comprises detecting a center portion of the fluid and the edge portions of the fluid to determine a wettability of the fluid. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the fluid interface using additional sensors, wherein the multi-terminal first sensor, the multi-terminal second sensor, and the additional sensors are aligned in series. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a channel saturation of a microfluidic channel in the microfluidic device by performing the detection by the multi-terminal first sensor, the multi-terminal second sensor, and the additional sensors that are positioned in series along a direction of fluid flow in the microfluidic channel. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to tune a frequency of the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor for detecting the fluid interface based at least in part on a fluid type in the microfluidic device. 
     
     
       18. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
 forming a first wafer comprising a first terminal of a multi-terminal first sensor and a second terminal of the multi-terminal first sensor; 
 forming a second wafer comprising a first terminal of a multi-terminal second sensor and a second terminal of the multi-terminal second sensor; and 
 bonding the first wafer to the second wafer, wherein the first terminal in the first wafer is opposite the first terminal in the second wafer, and wherein the second terminal in the first wafer is opposite the second terminal of the second wafer. 
 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 18 , further comprising forming a microchannel in the first wafer prior to bonding the first wafer to the second wafer. 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the multi-terminal first sensor and the multi-terminal second sensor are formed a distance L apart to performing tracking of a fluid.